Hi'-Neighbor!

technical details:

Production G-19.

Release no. C-823.

Filmed Jan. 20 to 30, 1934. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.

Title sheet prepared by William Terhune on February 14, 1934.

Cutting continuity submitted February 22, 1934.

Copyrighted February 24, 1934, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP4536. Renewed August 29, 1961, with registration no. R280997. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2029.

Released March 3, 1934. It was the 126th film in the series to be released.

All-talking two-reeler.

Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "Hi'-Neighbor!".'

King World Productions episode no. 30, available in both colorized and original black-and-white versions. This version is listed as "Hi, Neighbor!."

the crew:

Produced by Hal Roach

Credited in the film as a presenter. The TV print credits it as 'A Hal Roach Production.'

Directed by Gus Meins

This credit appears in the film.

Photography: Art Lloyd

This credit appears in the film.

Film Editor: Louis McManus

This credit appears in the film.

Recording Engineer: Harry Baker

This credit appears in the film.

Animal trainer: Tony Campanaro

He trained the current Pete.

Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Indicated in the opening title card.

Passed by the National Board of Review

As indicated in the film.

Western Electric System

As indicated in the film.

NRA

The National Recovery Administration emblem is shown in both the opening and end titles.

studio personnel

general manager - Henry Ginsberg

assistant general manager - L. A. French

secretary-treasurer - C. H. Roach

assistant secretary - Mat O'Brien

film editor and sound department - Elmer Raguse

construction supervisor - C. E. Christensen

laboratory superintendent - Charles Levin

process department - Roy Seawright

still photographer - Clarence "Stax" Graves

transportation director - Bob Davis

school teacher - Fern Carter

possible uncredited involvement

assistant direction - Probably Gordon Douglas.

writing - Hal Yates, Carl Harbaugh, Frank Terry, Billy Gilbert, James Parrott, Charlie Hall, Robert McKenzie, Frank Tashlin and Gordon Douglas may have been among the gag writers.

property department - Charles Oelze, Don Sandstrom, Thomas Benton Roberts and Bob Saunders were probably involved in this capacity. Specifically, Leonard Maltin credits Oelze with the fire engine in the Cabin Fever video release.

titles - Louis McManus probably designed the main titles.

the kids:

Wally Albright as "Wally"

Lead role. He's the leader of the gang and has the idea to build the fire engine.

George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky"

Featured role. He's present throughout the film, providing most of the humor.

Matthew "Stymie" Beard as "Stymie"

Supporting role. He has quite of lot of the dialogue, and serves as the brakeman on the fire engine.

Jerry Tucker as "Jerry"

Supporting role. He's the snobby rich kid with the shiny new fire engine.

Jackie Lynn Taylor as "Jane"

Supporting role. The cutting continuity refers to her as "Jacquie." Maltin & Bann listed her as Jacqueline Taylor. She decides to ride in Jerry's vehicle.

Scotty Beckett

Supporting role. His name doesn't turn up in the dialogue, but the cutting continuity refers to him as "Scot." He's present through most of the proceedings, but isn't given too much specific attention, other then during the construction sequence, in which he's paired with Spanky. This was his debut appearance.

Tommy Bupp

Supporting role. He's introduced in a treehouse, and later brings some lumber, but otherwise is an ensemble player.

Tommy Bond

Supporting role. He brings the wheels, but otherwise isn't given much of anything specific to do.

Marvin Strin as "Bubbles"

Supporting role. Listed by Maltin & Bann as Marvin Trin. The cutting continuity refers to him as "Marvin." He's present through most of the film, but is given very little of anything specific to do, other than knock down a clothesline.

Donald Proffitt

Supporting role. His name doesn't turn up in the dialogue, but the cutting continuity refers to him as "Donald." He's seen on a sawhorse, and later steals a hose, but is otherwise an ensemble player.

Charles Donnelly

Supporting role. Judging by his presence throughout the making of this film, which otherwise is only the case with the boys who ride the makeshift fire engine, it seems that he's one of them, and must be the boy seen earlier carrying the ladder with Stymie and Spanky.

Bobbie "Cotton" Beard

Small part. The nickname wasn't used in this film. He's seen only during the opening sequence with Stymie.

Jean Aulbach

Bit part. Her name doesn't turn up in the dialogue, but the cutting continuity refers to her as "Jean." She's the girl on Donald's sawhorse.

Jane Withers as "Jane"

She was present for the first three days of shooting, but was replaced by Jackie Lynn Taylor, who retained the character name. Withers never made it into the finished film. Maltin & Bann state that she was paid for two weeks' work, but this doesn't jibe with the payroll ledger.

Tony Kales

He worked for one day on this film. This seems to rule out his presence on the makeshift fire engine, since those boys worked throughout the production. Presumably, his footage wound up on the cutting room floor.

the animals:

Pete the Pup IV as "Pete"

Supporting role. He's present throughout most of the film, and is given a few comic bits of business.

Leo

Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.

Joe the Monk

Bit part. This is presumably Joe. He's up in the tree with Tommy Bupp.

other animals

Bit parts and extras.

(1.) Scotty's two white rabbits, one of whom is named "Pansy."

(2.) The animal in the pen as Donald walks by with the hose.

the adults:

Stanley "Tiny" Sandford as one of the moving men

Small part. He asks for directions to Cherry Street, and seems to be the one in charge between the two movers. The cutting continuity refers to him as "Tiny."

Roscoe "Tiny" Ward as "Jack," one of the moving men

Small part. I haven't familiarized myself with this actor yet. He drives the moving van and is the taller of the two movers. Listed by Maltin & Bann as Jack "Tiny" Ward.

Charlie Hall as the window washer

Bit part. He finds himself missing a ladder.

Harry Bernard as the man watering his lawn

Bit part. He appears to be a bit drunk as he realizes his hose is incomplete.

other adults

Bit parts and extras. There are seven pedestrians (five men and two women) knocked into the air by the runaway fire engine. Maltin & Bann list Ernie Alexander among them, but I can't tell which one he is. There is also a billposter in this scene. Otherwise there are occasional pedestrians shown in the backgrounds of other shots.

the music:

"Good Old Days" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.

(A14.) This is played over the opening titles and as Wally and Spanky first see the fire engine. A small portion is repeated during the end title.

"Look At Him Now" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted 1931. This is played as each kid joins the gang on their way to the new kid's house.

"All Together" by Leroy Shield

Also known as "Tune." This is played as the kids follow the moving truck and say hi to Jerry. It's played again as Spanky begins to help Stymie.

"The Moon And You" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. This is played, minus the introduction, as the moving men take the fire engine off the truck.

"Riding Along" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. This is played as Jerry gets the other boys away from his fire engine. This is the faster version.

"Little Dancing Girl" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Also known as "Dancing Girl" and "Dancing Girls." This is played, with a rare introduction, as Jane takes a ride with Jerry, and the boys decide to build their own fire engine. It's played again as the boys show their fire engine to Jerry and Jane.

"Yearning" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Aug. 13, 1931. A short part of this piece is played as we see various things with missing wheels.

"Hide And Go Seek" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. This is played, with three introductions, during the scavanger hunt.

"Bells" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. This is played as Spanky passes Stymie a wheel.

"Candy Candy" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. This is played twice as Spanky and Scotty keep having to get out of the way of the older boys, and Jerry loses his pants.

"Teeter-Totter" by Leroy Shield

A short portion of this piece is played as the boys look at the finished fire engine.

the locations:

Fargo Hill

Shown in the longshot looking downhill. Located on Fargo Street between Allesandro Street and North Alvarado Street in Los Angeles. Visible at the bottom of the hill is St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church.

3510 Glendon Ave., Los Angeles

This is the location of Jerry's house, near the intersection with Palms Boulevard. The Porter Sanitarium can be seen on the hill in the background.

South Robertson Boulevard

This seems to be the stretch of road shown as Stymie, Spanky, and Tony Kales carry the ladder.

Cherry Street

According to Jackie Taylor's book, this was where the bulk of the downhill race sequence was shot. It's also the street the moving men are looking for at the beginning of the film.

miscellaneous:

At least 9 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Almost five months had passed since shooting finished for "Wild Poses" (no. 125). Shooting for "Hi'-Neighbor!" started on Jan. 20th and continued until Jan. 30th. No shooting took place on Jan. 21st or 28th, both of which were Sundays. There was also a day player given a check charged to this film on Jan. 17th, though it's difficult to imagine which scene could have possibly been filmed. After this, about three weeks would pass before the Our Gang unit began filming "For Pete's Sake!" (no. 127).

A press item of January 8, 1934, reveals that a party was planned to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Roach studio. Several past and present Our Gang kids were scheduled to attend, including Spanky, Tommy Bond, Dorothy "Echo" DeBorba, Stymie, Sunshine Sammy, Joe "Fatty" Cobb, Johnny Downs, Jackie Condon, Skooter Lowry, Mary Ann Jackson, Farina, Wheezer, and Jean Darling.

On January 31st, Robbin Coons wrote the following: "Only 'Spanky' McFarland, the chubby 'hero,' and 'Stymie' Beard, the little Negro menace, will be retained in a studio shake-up of 'Our Gang,' to get new faces. The others will be released to go into obscurity or to try for further success in films emulating the example of Jackie Cooper." This item seems rather belated, as the new batch of kids had just been added, and the "shake-up" happened months earlier.

Reissue and television prints are titled without punctuation: "Hi Neighbor."

Reel two starts with Spanky helping Stymie with the wheels.

A story version of this film appeared in the book Our Gang in 1934.

The script submitted to MGM was given the catalog number B451.

See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.

© Robert Demoss.